Philosophy of War: Actual Aspects of I. A. Ilyin’s Ideological Heritage

Abstract

Introduction. The article examines the military-philosophical heritage of Russian thinker I. A. Ilyin (1883–1954) in the context of modern scientific discourse. Materials and Methods. The theoretical basis of this research is the military-philosophical works of I. A. Ilyin, written within the framework of an organic methodology, which proceeds from the following provisions: all aspects of society are organically interconnected; it is necessary to penetrate into the inner meaning of facts, “into the spiritual significance of historical phenomena”; society and politics develop as living organisms according to their internal laws on the basis of the specific culture of the people; culture is inextricably linked with religion. In accordance with these provisions, religious-philosophical and normative-value approaches were applied to achieve the goal of the article. The materials of scientific publications on the stated problems were also used, the study of which was carried out using general scientific methods of analysis and systematization. Results. The reconstruction of the views of outstanding Russian thinker I. A. Ilyin on the problem of war from the point of view of organic methodology is carried out. The main emphasis is placed on identifying the spiritual meaning and moral contradiction of war. It is shown that, in the philosopher’s logic, the spiritual meaning of war is that during life a person loves “something higher than himself”, and only then he can overcome the spiritual ordeal of war and every burden of life. The difference between the spiritual meaning and the spiritual justification of war is considered. The grounds under which the use of violence is allowed through the categories of “spiritual property”, “free original life” are highlighted. In connection with the problem of the permissibility of violence, homicide, which cannot be justified from a moral point of view, the main moral contradiction of war is shown. Based on the results of the study of modern scientific discourse, the conclusion is made about the actual methodological significance of the military-philosophical heritage of I. A. Ilyin for the analysis and evaluation of the problems of modern (hybrid) war. Discussion and Conclusion. The philosophical understanding of war is conditioned by the multifaceted nature of modern (hybrid) war, the most important component of which, along with armed struggle, is the struggle of the meanings of the existence of civilizations. Its goal is the destruction of the national and cultural values of the people, the introduction of false spiritual and moral ideas about the war. The hybrid war against Russia is being waged today by the so-called collective West, led by the United States. To counter its threats, it is important to form a new knowledge about the war on the basis of the spiritual and moral provisions of I. A. Ilyin’s religious philosophy of war. In modern scientific discourse, the philosopher’s interpretation of war as a spiritual and morally contradictory phenomenon is applied as an actual methodology. Of fundamental methodological importance is the provision on the justification of war as a “morally guilty act” if it is the response of the people to an attack threatening their identity, culture, spiritual heritage, regardless of “who exactly declared war, whether someone occupied someone else’s territory, etc.” Nonviolence with such a threat is “spiritual suicide” and “false hypocrisy”.